Take the First Step

Did you set new goals or resolutions for 2018, or are you starting the new year with a big project in mind? Does it seem daunting or overwhelming? Are you letting fear keep you from even starting? The struggle to keep those resolutions is real, and I have to admit that some of my dream projects this year are so big and daunting that I’m struggling to take the first step.

When I start to get overwhelmed at the start of a project or when it is not moving along at the pace I would like, I take a look at the picture above which is hanging in front of my desk. It is a traditional Balinese Keliki painting that shows each step of bringing a beautiful painting of the Goddess Saraswati to the finished product. Starting at the very beginning and seeing the rough outline of the painting and being able to see each step and all the fine detail work that goes towards the finished product is representative of what it’s like to complete any project or task.

If you look at the beginning panel of this piece you see the artist’s original vision in a simple but rough line drawing. In each progressive panel more detail, color, and creativity are added until the last panel shows the final painting. Looking at this reminds me to take each big project and break it down into small steps. I just have to roll up my sleeves and make that initial outline. Nothing great happens overnight and so I remember to keep bringing color, creativity, and attention to detail to my projects each step of the way. Eventually, if I keep working hard, I’ll see the fruits of my labor and will have a product to be proud of. This picture beautifully reminds me to not get overwhelmed by the task at hand, to not freak out, to let go of my fears, my drive for perfectionism, and take the first steps of a project, and then keep pushing forward.

On my yoga retreat in Bali last year, we visited the I Wayan Gama Painting School which teaches children the form of traditional Balinese art called Keliki painting that is both beautiful and has significant meaning in the tradition of the culture. It is the goal of this school to bring in school-age children to train them in order to keep the tradition alive. As I was viewing the paintings they had for sale at the school, I fell in love with the drawing above and had to bring it home with me. Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom, and nature. Her energy is so empowering and helps me raise my vibration every time I see the piece by my desk.

One of my favorite parts of the entire Bali yoga retreat experience was taking in the Balinese culture and traditions, meeting the people who live there, and seeing the beauty that surrounds you everywhere you turn. The video above captures the beauty of Bali and some of my favorite experiences of the 2017 Shanti, Shanti, Bali Yoga Retreat.

Always remember that no matter how far off your goal seems, each step you take in the process is one step closer to your goal. You never know. You might create something that could be a beautiful piece of art!

I really liked the way that you broke down the “how to do steps” in accordance with the Saraswati painting. There is something special about Balinese, especially the way that spirituality and rituals are woven into an integral part of their life.